I suppose every reader of this book knows what a scarecrow is; but Jack
Pumpkinhead, never having seen such a creation, was more surprised at
meeting the remarkable King of the Emerald City than by any other one
experience of his brief life.

His Majesty the Scarecrow was dressed in a suit of faded blue clothes, and
his head was merely a small sack stuffed with straw, upon which eyes, ears,
a nose and a mouth had been rudely painted to represent a face. The clothes
were also stuffed with straw, and that so unevenly or carelessly that his
Majesty's legs and arms seemed more bumpy than was necessary. Upon his hands
were gloves with long fingers, and these were padded with cotton. Wisps of
straw stuck out from the monarch's coat and also from his neck
and boot-tops. Upon his head he wore a heavy
golden crown set thick with sparkling jewels, and the weight of this crown
caused his brow to sag in wrinkles, giving a thoughtful expression to the
painted face. Indeed, the crown alone betokened majesty; in all else the,
Scarecrow King was but a simple scarecrow -- flimsy, awkward, and
unsubstantial.

But if the strange appearance of his Majesty the Scarecrow seemed startling
to Jack, no less wonderful was the form of the Pumpkinhead to the Scarecrow.
The purple trousers and pink waistcoat and red shirt hung loosely over the
wooden joints Tip had manufactured, and the carved face on the pumpkin
grinned perpetually, as if its wearer considered life the jolliest thing
imaginable.

At first, indeed, His Majesty thought his queer visitor was laughing at him,
and was inclined to resent such a liberty; but it was not without reason
that the Scarecrow had attained the reputation of being the wisest personage
in the Land of Oz. He made a more careful examination of his visitor, and
soon discovered that Jack's features were carved into a smile and that he
could not look grave if he wished to.

The King was the first to speak. After regarding Jack for some minutes
he said, in a tone of wonder:

"Where on earth did you come from, and how do you happen to be alive?"

"I beg your Majesty's pardon," returned the Pumpkinhead; "but I do not
understand you."

"A person who understands both my language and your own. When I say
anything, the interpreter can tell you what I mean; and when you say
anything the interpreter can tell me what you mean. For the interpreter can
speak both languages as well as understand them."

"That is certainly clever," said Jack, greatly pleased at finding so simple
a way out of the difficulty.

So the Scarecrow commanded the Soldier with the Green Whiskers to search
among his people until he found one who understood the language of the Gillikins as well as
the language of the Emerald City, and to bring that person to him at once.

"Your Majesty forgets that I cannot understand you," replied the
Pumpkinhead. "If you wish me to sit down you must make a sign for me to do
so." The Scarecrow came down from his throne and rolled an armchair to a
position behind the Pumpkinhead. Then he gave Jack a sudden push that sent
him sprawling upon the cushions in so awkward a fashion that he doubled up
like a jackknife, and had hard work to untangle himself.

"There is this difference between us," said the Scarecrow, "that whereas I
will bend, but not break, you will break, but not bend."

At this moment the soldier returned leading a young girl by the hand. She
seemed very sweet and modest, having a pretty face and beautiful green eyes
and hair. A dainty green silk skirt reached to her knees, showing silk
stockings embroidered with pea-pods, and green satin slippers with bunches
of lettuce for decorations instead of bows or buckles. Upon her silken waist
clover leaves were embroidered, and she wore a jaunty little jacket trimmed
with sparkling emeralds of a uniform size.

"Why, it's little Jellia Jamb!" exclaimed the Scarecrow, as the green maiden
bowed her pretty head before him. "Do you understand the language of the
Gillikins, my dear?"

"Yes, your Majesty, she answered, "for I was born in the North Country."

"Then you shall be our interpreter," said the Scarecrow, "and explain to
this Pumpkinhead all that I say, and also explain to me all that he says. Is
this arrangement satisfactory?" he asked, turning toward his guest.

The Scarecrow moved uneasily upon his throne, and felt of his head with his
left hand.

"What a fine thing it is to understand two different languages," he said,
with a perplexed sigh. "Ask him, my dear, if he has any objection to being
put in jail for insulting the ruler of the Emerald City."

"No; that was only imaginative -- I might say, a figure of speech," said the
other.

"Well, your most prominent figure seems to be a figure of wood; so I must
beg you to restrain an imagination which, having no brains, you have no
right to exercise," suggested the Scarecrow, warningly.